Park Road Junior Infant and Nursery School

What will it do? - Click here for the information

The Local Offer was first introduced in the Green Paper (March 2011) to discuss the local services that are available to support children with SEND and their families. The information will set out what is available in schools to help pupils with SEND as well as the options available to support families who have a child with SEND. The Kirklees framework will allow the Local Offer to provide parents/carers with information about how to access services in their area and what they can expect from these services. It will inform parents/carers and pupils on how schools/colleges will support them and what they can expect across local schools and colleges.

Our Local Offer- Park Road Junior Infant and Nursery School

Park Road School is an inclusive school that welcomes all children who wish to attend, whilst recognising that some children face barriers to participation and achievement. We deliver quality first teaching, adapting our curriculum to cater for and meet the specific needs of every child throughout our school.

How do we identify individual special educational needs?

At Park Road School, we recognise when pupils may require additional support if:

- On-going concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers or the child.

- Limited progress is being made by the child.

- There is a significant change in the pupil’s behaviour and well-being.

- A child can be identified as having special educational needs if they display a greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of a similar age.

- Children that have a disability that prevents them from making use of the educational facilities at school or are experiencing behavioural, social or emotional difficulties which often hinder their learning are also identified as having SEND.

When children have been identified with SEND before they start at Park Road School, we communicate closely with the people who already know the child and use the information already available in order to cater for their SEND in our school setting.

If parents or carers inform us that they are concerned that their child has a SEND the class teacher and SENCo will discuss this with them and explore this further with the possibility of involving outside agencies if deemed necessary. We will share the findings with parents and agree, with support from outside agencies what we will do next to ensure that their child’s needs are met and their progress is accelerated.

What should parents/carers do if they feel their child may have SEND? How do we involve parents/carers?

Park Road is a child and family centered school and therefore we aim to involve children and their parents/carers in decision making whenever it is appropriate. The class teacher is the initial point of contact if you have concerns about your child. Parents/carers can also contact the school SENCo to discuss their concerns further (email address above).

When we assess SEND we will discuss with parents/carers if their child’s understanding and behaviour displayed in school is similar to that experienced in the home environment. We will aim to take all factors into account and work with parents/carers so that we can form strong home-school links to enable consistency and progression. We follow the graduated approach when providing support for children. This begins with Quality First Teaching. If the child requires additional intervention or provision the next will be an Additional Needs Plan (ANP) for the child. Parents will be involved in this process and the objectives set will be shared in a meeting so that these can be supported at home as well as school. If a child presents with more complex needs a My Support Plan may then be put in place with clearly set out, achievable objectives for the children to meet. These will be agreed by teachers, parents/carers, SENCo and child where appropriate.

Regular meetings such as parents evenings and ANP meetings will be held throughout the year to discuss a child’s progress and any concerns a parent/carer may have. Following such discussions within school and with parental consent it maybe that a referral to outside agencies such as Speech and Language Therapy, behavioural support or an Educational Psychologist is necessary in order to support a child further. If outside agencies do become involved, suggestions and programmes of study will often be provided. The SENCo may ask to meet with you in order to discuss how to support your child further following these recommendations. The home-school partnership is essential in this process.

How do we adapt the curriculum so that we meet the needs of children with special educational needs?

At Park Road, all staff deliver a curriculum that is adapted and differentiated in order to cater for the needs of all children through quality first teaching. Our aim is create inclusive classrooms so that all children are able to access learning and become independent learners. Educational teaching assistants (ETA’s) may be allocated to work with some SEN pupils to cater for their specific needs in the classroom.  Park Road staff are trained in using many strategies and resources in order to ensure that every child is able to learn at their level in the classroom.

In school a range of interventions are used and resources are put in place effectively when a child has been identified as requiring additional support. If a child has a specific difficulty relating to a certain aspect of their education such as spelling/phonics, reading, writing or number work they may be placed in a small focused group or receive further support on a one to one basis. The length of this intervention will vary according to a child’s need and the progress made. Interventions will be reviewed regularly by the SENCo team and class teacher to ensure their effectiveness and the impact they are having on a child’s progress.

Many of our staff are trained in a variety of teaching approaches that means that they are able to adapt work to cater for a range of special educational needs and difficulties including Speech and Language needs and social and emotional difficulties.

The Governors of Park Road School are also responsible for entrusting a named governor who will monitor SEN provision and use of SEN funding in our school. The governors ensure that our school is as inclusive as possible and treats all children in an equitable way. They monitor and review all SEN statutory policies defined by the Department for Education.

How do we assess pupil progress towards the outcomes we have targeted for pupils and how do we review this progress in order to ensure that pupils make at least good progress?

Throughout the academic year we assess children using the Early Learning Goals in our early years setting and National Curriculum levels throughout KS1 and KS2. Each term we hold focused assessment weeks where all children, including SEN pupils are assessed using a range of different assessment materials. The result of these assessments along with teacher assessments are inputted onto our school progress tracking system to highlight the progress that children are making.

Our senior leadership team and staff regularly check the progress of pupils and meet in order to discuss what our school is implementing to ensure all pupils make at least good progress. Our SENCo uses the progress tracking data to highlight the progress of SEND pupils across the school. Where progress is slow, discussions are held with teachers to ensure that this progress is accelerated.

If a child is often seen by a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) in school they will most likely be following a speech programme delivered by one of our ETA’s who specialises in this area. They will then be assessed by the SLT on each visit to ensure they are making progress in this area. The programme will then be adapted for the child based on the progress made.

What support will there be for my child’s well-being?

Our school offers a wide range of pastoral support for pupils. We offer safe places for pupils who need behavioural, emotional and social support and we employ a Learning Mentor who works alongside these pupils and are readily available to discuss issues and concerns of both parents and children. The Learning Mentor is trained in using a pastoral programme called the Thrive project in order to ensure that all of our pupils thrive to achieve their full potential.

If a pupil has a medical need then a care plan will be provided by a medical professional and the information provided will be accessible to staff to raise their awareness. All staff have received Epi-pen training and some staff are trained in positive handling techniques. Identified staff have basic first aid training.

The SENCo works closely with the School Nurse who is in school every Wednesday afternoon to discuss any children that parents or school staff have raised concerns about regarding their health and well-being.

What specialist services and expertise are accessed by our school?

At times it maybe necessary to consult with outside agencies in order to receive specialised expertise. Our SENCo and Headteacher communicate and meet with our designated Educational Psychologist throughout the year in order to discuss pupils with SEND. These discussions often involve highlighting the needs of our SEN pupils in order for actions and outcomes to be recommended by our Educational Psychologist. These recommendations are then implemented into school. The Educational Psychologist would normally only work directly with pupils whose needs are considerable and those who have not responded well to the interventions put in place by school.

We can request support from external specialist agencies relating to SEND such as speech and language, hearing impairment, visual impairment, behavioural, social and emotional related needs (CAMHS) and autism outreach services.

We receive support from Speech and Language therapists (Locala) who help to train our staff and advise on strategies and programmes. We refer pupils to speech and language for an initial assessment if parents or staff feel it would be beneficial to a child to receive a period of speech and language therapy. In order refer to Speech and Language services the child must be on a My Support Plan with several reviews, otherwise they will not be accepted.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to a child’s SEND?

The SEN budget is allocated each financial year. School receives funding for all SEN pupils and we aim to provide what our pupils need from this budget. The money is used to provide additional support in the form of resources or an additional member of staff if required. This all depends on the needs of the SEN pupils in our school.

If a pupil’s Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) identifies something that is significantly different to what is available, there may be additional funding allocated depending on the banding level outlined in the EHCP. This funding must be used to fund the agreed plan.

What other activities are available for pupils with SEN in addition to the curriculum?

Activities and school trips are available to all pupils. Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate. We have a breakfast club that children can attend before school if required. School visits are planned for each year group throughout the year and a Year 5/6 residential visit every two years. We will aim to provide additional support for children with SEND if they wish to attend these extra-curricular activities if necessary.

The PE Teacher also has access to sports events throughout the year that are available for children with SEND.

How are decisions made about how much support my child will receive?

These decisions are made in consultation with teachers, our SENCo, our senior leadership team and outside agencies involved with your child. Some decisions are based upon termly tracking of pupil progress or as a result of assessments by an outside agency. During ANP and MSP meetings with parents and class teacher the level of support provided for the child will be discussed. The plans are reviewed termly. This is where the class teacher and SENCo will look at the impact the additional provision has had on the child and whether this needs to be amended.

If concerns are identified due to a pupil’s well-being or lack of progress then changes to the provision will be made prior to the review. Teachers have continual dialogue with the member of staff delivering the intervention so if there is a concern these will be raised and changed will be made when appropriate.

How do we support pupils in their transition into our school and when they leave us?

- All new pupils, parents/carers are welcome to attend an introductory visit to our school in order to be shown around our school and meet some of our staff.

- Discussions between previous or receiving schools happen prior to the pupil joining or leaving our school.

- Each academic year, all pupils attend a transition period where they spend time in their new class and get to meet their new teacher.

- Additional visits can also be arranged for SEN pupils who need extra time in their new school.

- Year 6 children visit their chosen secondary school to prepare them for joining secondary education.

- Where a pupil has an Educational Health Care Plan or specialised needs, an initial meeting maybe arranged with staff, parents/carers and where appropriate the child to discuss their needs in more detail before they join our school. SENDACT can also help parents to make an informed choice so they choose the most appropriate setting.

- Where appropriate, transition books will be put in place for children to take home over the summer to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings and staff.

Who can I contact for further information?

If you wish to discuss your child’s special educational needs further, please contact the school office to arrange a meeting with our SENCo. Appointments can be made to speak, in more detail, with members of staff if you require.

Useful Links

Kirklees Local Offer - https://www.kirkleeslocaloffer.org.uk/#maincontent

KIAS - https://www.kias.org.uk/

SENDACT - https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/special-education/about-special-educational-needs.aspx

CAMHS - https://www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk/services/camhs-kirklees/

Northorpe Hall - https://www.northorpehall.co.uk/

SEND Policy 2023

Accessibility Plan 2023